The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-03-29
a FIERCE STRUGGLE.
The Fighting Square at Abu Klea, Where
Heroic Rurnaby Fell.

The Fighting Square at Abu KIes, Where
Heroic Burnaby Fell.
At it we went; the square was closed.
must acknowledge that our men were
now mad. We all felt that we must
fight for our lives. Retreat was not to
be thought of; if We did SO, where
could we retreat to, cut off as we were
from all support? If we did not win
the day we must leave our bones in the
desert. The temper of our men
mounted to the boiling pitch. Each
man felt as if he must put forth the
power of a giant, and as conse-
quence the butchery was terrible-none
dared to finch. Thus every man in
the square had to do his duty, for while
the inside resembled volcano i'm act
i've eruption, the outside or kneeling
ranks had enough to do to keep the
other Arabs at a respectful distance.
The fighting was literally back to back.
Stabbing and gashirg their horses,
which were japmed in mass, we
quickly brought them to the ground,
riders and all, when the latter were
quickly dispatched by dozens of bayO-
nets at once. The Arabs, being packed
so tightly together. could neither use
their lances nor WELD their scimitars
without slashing each other. while we
did not cease our lunging Is long as
one breathed. AT last they were wiped
out, and again we faced outward and
reopened fire, our weapons meanwhile
dripping. Five times the enemy
charged us with frantic cries and way
ing banners, and as many times we
poured in the murderous volleys-no
shots wasted.
1t was during one of these charges
that Colonel Burnaby, impatient at the
restraint imposed on him, pushed his
horse through the ranks of the rear
face, and singing out an emir who was
making himself disagreeably promi-
nent, made thrust at him, but was
rather short; the emir thrust in return
with his lance, but Burnaby, with a
sneer on his face, parted it easily.
Two or three Arabs took hand, but
he disposed of them similarly. 1t was
evident that he now intended to aston
ish them with his magnificent sword
manship, as he gathered up his reins
and frightened his grip on his saber.
But at this juncture another rush was
made, the Arabs surged around him,
and before he could turn an Arab
thrust at him from behind, piercing his
jugular vein. He reeled in the saddle
and fell, but springing to his feet dy-
ing though he was, he delivered one
tremendous cut at some dismounted
Arabs nearest him with such terrible
effect as to sever the heads from the
shoulders of two of them. As he
dropped the Arabs closed in to mutilate
him, but dozen men sprang from the
square and tore his body from them.
All this happened so quickly as to be-
wilder the spectators.
1t might be asked why it was that
the men of the square did not shoot
those to whom he was opposed. There
are two answers: One was that owing
to the velocity of his movements they
were afraid Of shooting him while aim
ing at his adversaries; the other was
that those who knew him had such con-
fidence in his ability that they did not
like to rob him of his game, never
thinking for moment that the affair
would terminate as itdid Meanwhile,
the battle ragged, the enemy came on
ike the waves, not to be driven back,
but TO be beaten to the earth. Horses and
men, they were piled in mounds; in
fact, the great number of their dead
and wounded interfered with their
movements, while the slightest delay
on their part insured certain death, and
it was now noticed from their hesita-
ton that they had lost heart. As thew
came on for the last time, the front of
their advance consisting entirely of
wlite-robed emIrs and sheikhs shout
ing, waving their banners and pointing
at us, all our machine guns opened a
searching fire, supplemented bv hand
clap VOlleys from the Martini-Henrvs.
and when the smoke lifted not live
Arab was to be seen within five
thousand yards they were all
stretched. l fear no contradiction
when l venture TO say that never since
Aglncourt, not even at Inkermann (liie
soldiers battle), has the British force
fought so terrible hand-to-hand bat
tle.-Cor. Boston Commercial Bulletin.